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Ms. Soto from Dallas, TX is requesting other through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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Dancing to the Rhythm of Another Culture!

My students need world percussion instruments in order to aid in the creation of cultural experiences during their dance performances.

  • $974 goal

This project expired on August 10, 2010.

This project expired on August 10, 2010.

Classroom photo
Ms. Soto profile photo
Ms. Soto W.B. Travis Vanguard & Academy
Dallas, TX Grades 6-8

My Students

Art. So diverse and meaningful. It reminds us of the places we have been and of places we want to go. I teach children that dance is like telling a story and movement is their language. Unfortunately, we have no pages for our story! We need some drums to supply us a rhythm for our words!

Our middle school is deep in the city.

Our children come from a heavily challenged background. High risk children make up the vast majority of kids in our school. Ask any one of our kids, and you will find that many have never been out of the city, to our downtown, or even out of our neighborhood!

My Project

I challenge these children on a daily basis, to go beyond their levels of comfort and to express themselves through their dance. We study a range of ethnicities and cultures in order to create an expression worthy of our learning. The greatest challenge comes from finding music and rhythms to guide us. With these instruments, our children can hear things so much different than what is currently available on the radio. They can learn to listen to their own rhythms. They can have a cultural and artistic experience so much more powerful. I had a guest teacher come in to work with my kids, and it was so amazing how the mere presence of the instruments that he brought had such an impact on my students. It validated the art of dance to them. I could see them thinking "This culture is for real!".

I will never forget the first time my students performed a traditional African Dance for their school in a class assembly.

There was so much laughter from the crowd. But then came the silence as the entire school was taken in to the experience. And then there was the applause. There are so many aspects of education that people do not understand. Help my kids learn that this was just one moment, but there can be many more.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households

Never Before Funded 200 students impacted
Ms. Soto W.B. Travis Vanguard & Academy Grades 6-8

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Dallas, TX View local requests

More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

Never Before Funded 200 students impacted

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Djembe (Ceramic 25x14 Inch) • Woodwind & Brasswind $199.99 2 $399.98
Bass Cajon with Foot Pedal and Ebony Frontplate (Standard) • Woodwind & Brasswind $269.99 1 $269.99
Elite Pro Fiberglass Bongos (Black) • Woodwind & Brasswind $129.99 1 $129.99

Materials cost

$799.96

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$12.00

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$846.96

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$126.56

Total project goal

$973.52

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Soto and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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